Smokescreen and Shadows
by garasu no tenshi
Summary: It was normal enough for Duo to be a student of a prestigious school, but try being 'gifted' with powers, having a persistent stalker, and meeting an enigmatic stranger with blue eyes as well... (AU. Yaoi. 1x2, 3x4, 5xM)


Disclaimer: Shin Kidousenki Gundam Wing is not mine. Please don't sue me.

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**Thanatos**: That was short.

**Tenshi**: *Makes a face* Hah! I'm getting tired of these lousy Disclaimers! The readers already know that Gundam Wing is not mine! By the way, minna, meet my forlorn Muse, Thanatos.

**Thanatos**: Yoroshiku.

    *silence*

**Tenshi**: . . . and that's all she's going to say. Anywaaay. . .

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Warnings: Alternate Universe. YAOI. 1x2, 3x4, 5xM. Mild(?) cussing. Eventual torture and maybe some lime. You're mind is not open enough for yaoi? Get lost. 

**Thanatos**: You've already been warned.

Feed backs: Yes, please! Feed backs are very much welcomed!

Summary: Being a student in the prestigious Lake Victoria Academy is normal enough for Duo, but try being 'gifted' with powers, having a stalker and meeting an enigmatic stranger with blue eyes as well. . .   

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"Words" 

/ _Song_ /

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SMOKESCREEN AND SHADOWS 

Chapter One: _ Shadow and the stranger_

/ _I'm broken_

_  I've fallen down_

_  Behold as I bruise and burn my name_

_  See me rolling back to where_

_  To where I started…_ / 

Duo Maxwell sang as he energetically walked, almost bouncing in fact, on his way to school. Heads turned to see the tall, slender, chestnut-haired young man cheerfully wade through the throngs of people on this busy day, his braid swinging lightly in rhythm with the beat of the song he was singing. With his arms raised and clasped on his nape and his body seemingly relaxed, he would appear to anyone like a typical, happy-go-lucky person eager for his classes.

One look in his eyes would change your opinion, though. They were not their usual twinkling amethyst color, but a deeper, much darker shade of violet that revealed the tension he felt as he stalled for more time to pinpoint the presence of the person stalking him. Duo can _sense_ it, that unique essence of the person shadowing him, watching his every move… waiting to spring at him. He turned—with the barest hint of movement—his head to the right, thinking that if he can't point out the stalker with his 'spider sense', he could at least try to pick him out from the crowd. However, dozens of people surrounded him, either walking idly or determinedly to their destinations, making it hard for him to do what he wanted to. His plan of losing his stalker by walking through a thick crowd had not only failed, but also backfired at him as well, since it was Duo who was losing his stalker's presence amidst the large crowd.

He slowly turned his head to the left this time. Still, he failed to isolate his stalker's presence. He couldn't even distinguish its gender… it was new to him—he didn't recognize who it was. He continued to walk, wanting to look back—really look back—but he didn't dare to. If he did, the stalker would instantly realize that Duo had sensed It, and then It'd flee… Duo didn't want that. He wanted to catch his shadow. Badly.

/ _I'm crashing_

_  I'm stumbling down_

_  Behold as the world devours my shame_

_  Hear me shouting back to no one_

_  No one hears me crying!_ /

Duo frowned, his mouth pouting to whistle the instrumental part of the song, while he continued his steady pace. At least he was pretty sure Shadow was still behind him. Ever since Duo left his house, he had felt a particular presence tailing him. _Damn, who could it be? And WHY?!_ He knew he hadn't done anything wrong these past few weeks… shit, God KNOWS he had been as good as an SAINT after that fiasco in the cafeteria. (Food flying from one side to the other, smacking into each student's faces, save Duo and his other 'gifted' friends—get the picture? _Pure havoc_ is appropriate enough.) And who wouldn't be? After being scolded by his friend Quatre in front of the entire class after lunch (Hehe, his other friends actually congratulated him!), Duo was ready to compromise _anything._ But the worst thing that happened was feeling the wrath of his mother, which resulted to his being grounded an entire boring week. One would wonder though how on earth Helen Maxwell knew that Duo was the mastermind of that incident.

Sometimes, it just sucks to be the son of a clairvoyant.     

Bet his mom didn't foresee 'Shadow', though. Even Duo, with his _OTHER_ ability, precognition, wasn't able to find anything about his stalker. Besides, why in God's name would someone tail him because of a puny food fight? Revenge, maybe? Nah, no one was hurt… seriously. Anyway, people at school just ADORE him, almost akin to worshiping his footsteps. Dumb fools as they were, they wouldn't do anything against Duo because he stands as one of the 'Highest of the High' in Lake Victoria Academy. Heh, they _can't_ even sneak up on him because he can sense them a mile away.  

_Could someone be jealous of him? _

If so, why stalk him?  

The only answer that came to him was that someone knows of his peculiar abilities. Duo heart skipped a beat at that. Did Shadow want to expose "what" Duo really was? A stupid, freakin' psychic?! _Can't be_, Duo contradicted himself again. His abilities were a closely guarded secret between him, his friends, and their mentors. They were forbidden to use their 'talents' outside school, except when the occasion REALLY calls for it.

Then _why_?

This time, he almost tripped as another idea struck him. Could it be… another psychic?! That would explain many things, especially how Shadow could _still _be able totail Duo in the midst of a big crowd like this.

**FUCK**!

Duo didn't hesitate and took off as fast as he can, turning from one street to another, not bothering to look behind him to see if someone was following. Not noticing where his legs were taking him, he just went with his instincts, veering and swerving into various paths and alleys. Ten minutes later, he stopped in a deserted alley and gasped for breath. He looked around, and extended his spider sense to spot Shadow's presence.

The nagging sensation a while ago was gone. Duo sighed with relief, and started walking out of the empty alley that he went into. But just as he was about to take a step, the presence came back full force ... very near…

... Behind him!

Duo froze, surprisingly unable, for the first time in his life, to move. Fear clamped around his heart like icy fingers of doom. Just feeling Shadow's presence was enough to render him immobile that all he was able to do was open his mouth soundlessly and stare straight ahead in a trance. 

"_Shinigami_... I got you now..." It was a whisper, soft and deadly. At this scarce distance between them, Duo was able to _feel_ his shadow's male gender and stash it in his mind. Shadow's ominous voice continued his incomprehensible and muttered speech from behind, one gaunt hand outstretched forward beside Duo's face, as if reaching out for his neck. As a finger touched his cheek, Duo came to his senses and snapped up, barely hearing Shadow's words, and turned around… 

No one was there. 

The presence vanished as quickly as it appeared. Into thin air. 

Duo sagged against one wall, his hand reaching up to clutch his shirt, feeling his heart thudding wildly against his chest. Wide violet eyes stared at the abandoned corner of the alley where his stalker was supposed to be. 

After a minute of calming down, he warily scanned the area again for anything strange. He felt around for the presence, and after not finding it, resumed his walk towards Lake Victoria Academy, satisfied that Shadow had left. 

_Teleportation_, he thought, scowling, _that was what Shadow used to come and go that abruptly. Then Shadow IS a psychic!_

Duo sighed loudly as he raised his arms and placed them behind his neck once again. Whistling "Break Down" under his breath unconsciously, his mind contemplated his stalker. He now knew that Shadow is male, judging from the low voice that he heard and what he felt from behind him. _And he had a killer presence, too! _He cried mentally, cringing at the memory of his shadow's dark essence. He huffed, then continued singing the high notes of the chorus.

/ _Hide me away_

_  Sacred dark, be cruel, conceal me_

_  Take me away_

_  My twisted heart, be cruel, condemn me_

_  Let me wither away now_

_  Let m---_ / 

Duo suddenly stopped short, freezing in the middle of the street, eyes widening broadly. He wasn't even forewarned. Excruciating pain shot through his head with a force of a bullet, making him groan out loud, bitingly coursing through his body and blinding him for a split-second—and then… the vision.

It started out as a hazy picture, a thin mist obscuring the image. The background started to appear one by one… the corner of a street, a post with a circular thing on its top and an inscribed inverted "**V**" … the street opposite also came into view, with the traffic light turning orange and a mail box beside it. Then he saw people strolling along each street, and among them is a boy with an obvious Japanese heritage dressed casually in jeans and a navy blue shirt, standing beside the post, and waiting for the change of traffic light.

For some inexplicable reason, Duo was drawn to that particular person. His eyes followed the boy, admiring the way sunlight glinted on the lean figure's messy brown hair. Long fringe obscured his eyes as he bowed his head and placed his hands inside the pockets of his jeans. The orange light changed to red, and the young man lifted his face—treating Duo to the sight of his exquisitely mysterious dark blue eyes—and started crossing to the other side, walking unhurriedly with inborn, cat-like grace. 

Duo stared… 

… And stared some more, enthralled by this stranger and oblivious to the other events happening around. Like the people who bumped into each other and were apologizing profusely, three children playing tag and running around blissfully, their laughter nonexistent, and the enraptured couple looking into one another's eyes, holding hands tightly. Duo wasn't even aware of the racing car coming out of nowhere and speeding toward the object of his fascination. The boy in the vision took notice of this though. But instead of getting out of the way, the boy—to Duo's utter horrified amazement—just halted and stared blankly at the incoming automobile, his face devoid of any emotion.

Duo's mouth opened in a soundless scream for the damned boy to run. As the car was about to hit the slender youth, everything dimmed suddenly and Duo snapped out of his vision, slumping against the wall nearest to him. _Shit_, he thought, his breathing labored, _nice to know I still have my precognition._ _Guess it didn't like sleeping in a long time._ He hadn't had a vision for some time now, for almost two months. The vision must be _very_ important for it to be awakened. 

Duo took a final deep breath, lifting his arm to wipe the beads of perspiration sliding down his pale face. _God, what was that all about?_ He focused his dizzy eyes on his surroundings, and was not surprise to see most people looking at him oddly, as if he grew another head or something. Duo just paid them no heed because he was already used to being treated that way, being the special person that he is. Instead, he pondered on his recent cryptic vision. _Such a shame, really.__ A gorgeous hunk is going to be hit by a speeding car and die. Well, not exactly die… _the vision wasn't finish. Still, Duo can't do anything to prevent the accident since he didn't know when it would happen. He wasn't daunted by _where_ it would happen because he can always use his spider sense to search for the place; he just had to broaden his sense of sight and voila… he can see anything a mile away from him. 

Duo huffed and furrowed his brow, straining to remember all the details of his blasted vision. He could recall seeing a street, a mailbox, a traffic light, a post with a clock, people strolling by… _wait, scratch that, a clock?!_ Still he tried to catch something that he missed. _Post, clock… a circular object… an inscribed inverted "**V**"… Inverted V! __7:25__!_ Duo quickly checked his black wristwatch, letting out a groan of dismay when he saw the time. 7:20! He spent twenty fucking minutes trying to slip away from Shadow! Duo shook his head at the thought and took off again, extending his spider sense as far as he could. He arrived within record time in a fairly crowded intersection (which wasn't a problem, too, since he'd lived in this city all his life) his eyes seeing ten times clearer than an average person can see. He turned to the Northern Street; and saw twenty students wearing their school uniforms, fifteen people in business attires, twelve children playing some game, eight cars of different models, four couples, two senior citizens, and the rest were idle strollers in the sunny morning. 

But no gorgeous, brown-haired guy there.

He turned to the opposite direction, and then there he was… Duo saw him almost immediately—which wasn't really hard because he stood up amidst the crowd with his stunning good looks. Duo went off again, and when he arrived at the scene of his vision, the light had turned to red and the boy was starting to cross the street. And, exactly just like in his vision, the speeding car appeared, running toward the blue-eyed youth, and the boy stopped in his stride and watched the approaching vehicle serenely. 

"MOVE!" Duo yelled as he took a giant leap from his place and propelled his body towards the svelte Japanese boy, getting him out of the car's way just in time as the car zoomed past them. Duo heard a slight gasp. The guy seemed as if he was more surprised by the braided boy's help than by his almost near brush with death. They landed with a soft _thud_ on the other side of the street; the boy with unruly hair sprawled on his back with his two arms on his sides and one leg bent upwards, and Duo falling on top of the Japanese boy on bent knees, two arms braced on each side of the other's head. After their initial impact on the ground, a pair of violet eyes going as big as they can get faced a glowering dark blue gaze. Although Duo had no chance to register their indecent position in his mind because a sudden shiver went up his body that was in no way connected to the person lying in front of him. He sensed a frustratingly familiar presence from the roaring car just as it turned to one street and vanished. 

Shadow's dark presence. _Holy shit!_

Duo was about to stand up and follow the car on foot when a hand reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him efficiently. Duo blinked at the hand, as if it was a foreign object to him. His gaze traveled from the slim digits to the bronze arms with whipcord muscles, to the well-sculpted shoulder and neck, then up, finally, to those beguiling blue eyes. Eyes that were looking at him in deadpan, leading Duo to stare at the other boy's face, a marble statue of refined beauty, devoid of any expression at all. Duo gawked… he can't help it. 

Damn, he was gorgeous.

"Get off me." a monotonous tone snapped.

Duo jerked out of his reverie, thoughts of Shadow and just how striking the Japanese guy was disappearing, and scowled. "Excuse me?" Did he hear it right? He didn't, did he?

The latter just returned his scowl with a blank look. "Are you deaf? I said get off." When Duo didn't budged from his position, the guy tightened his hold of Duo's arm, making the braided boy wince. "Unless you want me to wrench you from your current position, I suggest you follow what I said and get off."

Yeah, he did hear it right.

Duo's eyes flashed violet fire. "Well _excuse_ _me_ for jumping out there and saving your _ungrateful_ ass from that wretched car!" Duo seethed, standing up and brushing his arms with his hands. His narrowed violet eyes pinned the other as the brown-haired _kid_ also stood up and dusted his own clothing. "Stupid git. I wouldn't have saved you if you weren't crazy enough to just stand there and stare at the car! Dumb ass, be thankful I came along or you could be dead meat by now!" 

"Hn. I could've taken care of myself. I did not require your help." The lean boy continued to brush some imaginary lint from his clothes, bowing his head, his long bangs hiding his eyes.          

"Hah! And what would you have done? Get yourself killed? Sheesh, talk about nutters." Duo raised his right hand in a wave and turned away from the latter, his eyes closed dramatically. "Don't bother thanking me for saving your butt because with the size of your ego, you probably won't be able to!" 

Duo started to walk away when the other boy didn't give any placid retort, but the crowd of onlookers wanting to congratulate him stopped Duo from doing so and fussed over him. "Good job, sonny! What you did was remarkable!" An old man said, ruffling his neat braid, much to Duo's growing horror. Two women shook both of his hand simultaneously, worried frowns adorning their faces. "That man should be arrested!" cried one of the ladies. The other lady nodded in agreement. 

"Great work!" 

"We should report this incident to the police!" 

"Thank God you save the boy just in time!"—It was endless!

The said boy just dusted the last of those imaginary dirt and looked up, only to be smothered by the crowd, to Duo's extreme relief. The boy stood firmly in the middle of the crowd, forcing stiff nods at every question a concerned citizen of Victoria City would ask. Duo grinned like a maniac at the almost murderous expression that fleetingly crossed the Japanese boy's stoic face at the commotion the crowd was having over him, overly enjoying the discomfort the other was feeling. _Heh__,__ serves him right for being such an ungrateful bastard._ Duo looked again at the Japanese boy, and was stunned yet once more by how beautiful he was. _What a shame,_ he thought cynically, echoing his earlier sentiment,_ such a gorgeous face… but a personality from hell!_ Duo shrugged, and started on his way—again—to Lake Victoria Academy, his thoughts filled with mental images of the nameless Japanese boy.

He wasn't able to dwell on the fact that his shadow just tried to kill the strange boy, and that he wasn't able to feel his presence.

Instead, he sang the rest of the song he had been singing earlier.

/ _Mocking eyes of guilt and blame_

_  Feeding on my brain_

_  Burning me down to my ruin_

_  I feel the breath of regret come and get me_

_  And let my weakness sell me_

_  A menace is flying in_

_  The scorning voice of silence_

_  Cursing my senses_

_  Pleading with time, rub out my presence_

_  I hear the laugh of defeat come to hit me_

_  I failed—I'm slipping slowly_

_  I'm breaking down…_ / 

  Tbc… 

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**Tenshi**: The song Duo sang above is entitled "Break Down". I'm proud to say that my friend The Badger composed and sang this great song. I think it fitted the story. Badger, thank you very much for lending me this! What do you think? It's great, ne? NE?!

**Thanatos**: Actually, her full name is The Badgered Hobbit Without the Big Hairy Feet. 

**Tenshi**: *Grins* Do you know Ashly? The Badger is her cousin. Anyway, you'll see The Badger's other songs here. Yay! Should I continue this? Read, review and convince me if I should. 

**Thanatos****: **Review, ne?

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